Sometime in the middle of last week I came across a review of the BedFan. You should click the link and look at it – it’s pretty ingenious. It’s a fan that is made to channel cool air underneath your bedsheets so on sweltering nights (or if you get night sweats) you can sleep well.
I was hooked. Our footboard is practically screaming for a homemade version of this! I ‘built’ it several times mentally, and on Saturday I was ready to make it for real.
I went down to the basement and started to look for the pieces of wood needed to make this contraption: two narrow strips 20 inches long and a piece of thin plywood approximately 20 inches by 20 inches. I’d need to fashion a hook of some sort, and I’d need to get out the miter saw….
and look for some screws that were all the same size…..
I’d probably need sandpaper, too…..
and, um…..
I forgot to put on shoes and my feet were getting chilly……
Forget it. I grabbed a box instead.
Now, this was the point where I called Lloyd upstairs and told him what I was doing because I wanted some advice. He surprised me by not rolling his eyes and calling me crazy, but actually coming up with some ideas for a future, more-permanent installation. I told him to slow down – this was just a prototype. We decided on a ‘tunnel’ for a small fan instead of just a big hole for a bigger fan.
A little fan goes just under the tunnel. I made some channels inside to help direct the air.
The sheet goes over it, but here’s what it looks like from the bed side:
It’s a good thing it was so hot on Saturday because I tested it out for a bit. The air output is meager at best. I liked having air blow on my feet, but I’m pretty sure the BedFan probably has a better breeze.
Lloyd insists that his design will be better, but I’ve already told him, “I make prototypes once. On to the next thing!”
The bedfan is nice, but I am more fascinated by the clear duct tape. Where do you find such a product?
I think you can get pretty much any color of duct tape now… I haven’t particularly noticed clear… but then it is kinda invisible! ^_^
Note: this shows just the sheet over the Bedfan for demonstration only. You can set the Bedfan cooling system in the middle (as in this video), on the left or right side of the bed. Stop sleeping hot tonight stop night sweats for any reason, even menopause.
I marked the part I liked :3
also… that is a terrible infomercial. “I know it sounds a lot like bed pan, but it’s really a bed fan!”
Hmm… I don’t know if I’d like this. I like cranking up my air conditioner, then feeling warm under the blankets. But cool under the blankets? ‘t ain’t natural.
Hmmmm, I didn’t consider that. Maybe you could have another one blowing warm air under the bottom sheet?
Interesting! Why have I never thought of this…being the hot freak that I am. But I’m not sure I understand how it works. Couldn’t I just throw a fan under my sheets & have the same affect?
My solution is to sleep on the fitted sheet, with the top sheet and blanket/comforter OFF of my body, and to have a regular fan circulating air in the room or the window open. With windows open on a cool night, it’s divine. If I get chilled, I pull the top sheet up. If I get cold, I pull the blanket/comforter up.
For night sweats, you can point the fan directly at your body.
BTW, the right pajamas are a MUST for this approach. Shorts, tank top or light t-shirt. Flannel, fleece or heavy cotton defeats the strategy.